First debuted in 1892, this iconic handbag served a far different purpose than it does today, resting comfortably in the crook of the arm of half of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Originally, the Hermès Kelly was designed as a tote for a horse's saddle in a size that, though huge, was still small enough to fit in the back of a late-century automobile. It wasn't until 1935 that it was designed in a more petite shape, called the Sac à Dépêches. Just a few years later, in the 1950s, it was Princess Grace Kelly who popularized the bag, reportedly held in front of her stomach to hide her pregnancy from photographers and the press. As such, the now-iconic handbag style was renamed the Kelly, forever linking the iconic style to one of the fashion world's most elegant of muses.
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